Baba
This email contains 3 distinct sections:
1. PS #4863 - Your Holy Advent
2. Posting: A'ma'der Baba Ki - Jai: 3rd Grade Devotion
3. End Quote: Dark Skin Is A Plus
A'MA'DER BABA KI – JAI:
3RD GRADE SLOGAN
3RD GRADE SLOGAN
Namaskar,
As we know, the relation between Parama Purusa and the aspirant is based on devotion. And there are various grades of devotion.
As one feels closer to Parama Purusa, we say that their level of bhakti has increased. When one feels more distant from Parama Purusa, we say that they have lower devotion. Baba has clearly outlined this in His discourses.
FIRST GRADE OF DEVOTEES & THEIR SLOGAN
Here Baba clearly defines the three basic levels of devotion.
“Devotees of the highest category think, “Parama Purus'a is mine only and He belongs to no one else.” This is the sign of an excellent sa'dhaka, and the spiritual progress of this category is inevitable. “He is mine and mine alone and He does not belong to anyone else” – this assertion is undoubtedly true.” (1)
Per Baba's teaching, in this top-most level of devotion, the bhakta feels that “Parama Purusa is mine – He only belongs to me – He is my personal property.” Baba guides us that this is the degree of devotion a sadhaka should strive for in life. Certainly many in our Ananda Marga have this type of feeling. They have a personal relation with Parama Purusa. Indeed this is the way dhyana is done. There is no third entity present, only there is the bhakta and Parama Purusa.
So top devotees do not raise the slogan – A'ma'der Baba ki – Jai! More about this is written below. Here it should be understood that a'ma'der means "our." Rather top bhaktas raise the jai slogan that indicates that Parama Purusa is mine - not ours.
According to Baba, this type of devotional outlook is the true nature or link between the bhakta and Parama Purusa. They have a personal relationship. So they do not raise the slogan A'ma'der Baba ki – Jai.
SECOND GRADE OF DEVOTEES & THEIR SLOGAN
Then there is the next tier of devotion – it is a notch below.
“The second category of devotees...They think, “Parama Purus'a is mine, and thus He must belong to others also.” That is, the devotees...have no hesitation in sharing Parama Purus'a with others.” (2)
Here due to a lack of closeness with Parama Purusa, the second-grade bhakta thinks: Baba created this entire universe so naturally He belongs to all. In this phase, the 2nd grade bhakta feels that Parama Purusa belongs to me, but reasons that He must belong to others also. This type of outlook only occurs when they do not have a personal relation with Parama Purusa. And in that case, they raise a collective slogan for Baba, i.e. A'ma'der Baba ki – Jai! More about this slogan is described below.
THIRD GRADE OF DEVOTEES & THEIR SLOGAN
And finally, in the lowest stage of devotion, there is an even less personal link or more distant relation, where first and foremost one feels that Parama Purusa is the collective property of all.
“The devotees of the lowest category think, “As Parama Purus'a belongs to all, so certainly He belongs to me as well because I am one of the multitude.” Thoughts of this type are not very congenial for one's spiritual progress.” (3)
Thus the critical difference between the 2nd & 3rd grade bhaktas is as follows. The 2nd grade bhakta thinks that Parama Purusa is mine, and then reasons that He must belong to others as well. The 3rd grade bhakta thinks that Baba belongs to all and then reasons that therefore He must also be mine. In either case, they do not have a close, personal, intimate relation with Parama Purusa. That is why they also raise a collective the slogan – A'ma'der Baba ki –Jai! Note: A'ma'der means our.
COMPARING THE VARIOUS GRADES
Hence Baba's statement that these latter two stages are not very conducive for spiritual growth, i.e. coming close to Him. Because such persons do not have a personal relation with Parama Purusa.
Since we are all familiar with Baba's teachings on this subject, we can wrap it up in one sentence. When one feels more close with Parama Purusa, the bhakta thinks that. “He is mine and mine alone.” They have a personal relation with Parama Purusa and are immersed in the deeply devotional feeling that, “Baba is mine – He belongs only to me.” They do not raise the slogan – A'ma'der / Our Baba ki – Jai! More about this below.
LEVELS OF JAI SLOGANS
The devotional feelings outlined above come into form in so many aspects of our lives: In our conversations, manan (thinking of Him), and in our reflections, stories etc, including the way in which we raise the Jai slogan.
For instance, the most intimate and devotional way of raising the jai slogan is: Parama Pita Baba ki – Jai! In this manner, the basic spirit is Victory to my Baba, my Father, my nearest, my own. The sense is that one's mind is pointed on the Divine Father, Parama Purusa in a more personal way where He belongs to me.
The possessive pronoun – my – is understood as people always think of their father as “my father”. No one thinks our father.
The overall meaning is: Victory to My (personal) Divine Father Baba. They do not raise the slogan – A'ma'der Baba ki – jai! More about this below.
In other places – such as in parts of Bengal, Ananda Nagar, and other places – there is another way the jai slogan is raised. Bengali speaking Dadas regularly bring the slogan: A'ma'der Baba ki – jai!
A'ma'der means ‘Our'; Baba ki means ‘of Baba'; jai means ‘victory'.
The overall meaning is: Victory to Our (collective) Baba.
The sense is that Parama Purusa belongs to all, He is the collective property of everyone and not the personal possession of a single bhakta. The overall meaning is: Victory to Our (collective) Baba.
In terms of spiritual life this type of ideation is not at all beneficial – rather it is detrimental and limiting.
The slogan – A'ma'der Baba ki – jai! – is a less personal expression and reflects 3rd grade devotion since one is thinking that Parama Purusa belongs to all.
“The devotees of the lowest category think, “Parama Purus'a belongs to all...Thoughts of this type are not very congenial for one's spiritual progress.” (4)
In that case, they raise the – A'ma'der Baba ki – jai! - slogan, where Parama Purusa, is shared in a collective manner. He is not one's personal property. This type of thinking is ultravarious to devotional closeness.
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION
Here we should clarify that this does not mean that everyone who speaks Bengali is of lower devotion or that anyone who has ever raised this slogan is a lower tier bhakta. It is not like that at all.
Rather, we can say that those leading this slogan are more responsible. After all they are the ones who selected the slogan. The margiis and wts in attendance may or may not feel this way. After all, they are just responding to the call. They are not deciding the way in which the slogan is raised. The key point is that first grade devotees should not blindly follow this lower slogan, otherwise that is a dogma.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Madhumita Bose
REFERENCES
1. Subhasita Samgraha-11
2. Subhasita Samgraha-11
3. Subhasita Samgraha-11
4. Subhasita Samgraha-11
== Section 2 ==
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Dark Skin Is A Plus
For Those Living in a Warm Climate
For Those Living in a Warm Climate
Because of their inferiority complex, many around the globe want to whiten their skin. They do not know that one's skin colour is for the well-being and safety of their body. God has specially designed and proteced them in this way. In hot climates, melanin is a natural chemical in the skin and that makes the skin dark. And that dark skin tone protects them. But due to their inferiority complex, some people want to become white. They do not know that they are destroying themselves and may die a premature death due to skin cancer. Yet dark skin is good for health in those hot regions. The solution is that those with dark skin suffering from an inferiority complex should understand that dark skin has specific benefits. Even in colder areas, it get warm for a few months each year, so in that case also those with dark skin get direct medical benefits, especially when involved in outdoor activities. While white-skinned people do not get those benefits. So dark skin is a plus.
"The greater the heat of the sun, the greater the amount of ultraviolet rays in the sunlight. A study of geography tells us why there are differences in the degree of heat of the sun’s rays. Where the sun’s rays fall on earth obliquely, there is less heat of the sun, and where the sun’s rays fall straight on the earth, the heat is greater. In very hot countries white-skinned people find it very hard to live, because their skin, having less of the chemical substance called melanin, is unable to stand much heat. Body skin with a great quantity of melanin in it turns jet black, and obviously a lesser quantity of melanin makes one’s skin white."
"If ever white people are forced for some reason to live long in a hot climate, their colour turns brown. In 1939-40, when British soldiers came to India for war purposes, their colour became brown due to the great heat. Naturally, as the skin of these soldiers had to adjust with the hot climate of India, there were some necessary changes in their skin to effect acclimatisation." (AFPS-2, Human Society Is One and Indivisible – 1)
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== Section 3 ==
PS #4863 - Your Holy Advent
Toma'r Abha've: This phrase - toma'r abha've - (from the first line of Prabhat Samgiita #4863) signifies the stage of glani described in these following quotes.
"Whenever dharma comes into a secondary position, a degraded position, a depraved position; that is, dharma is being defeated by adharma." (AV-1, The Advent of the Lord)
"Normally when the number of atipátakiis and mahápátakiis increases out of proportion, the responsibility of saving society rests with the sadvipras. But when the mahápátakiis in society outnumber the atipátakiis, Parama Puruśa descends on earth armed with His special power." (DKG, “Tadátmánaḿ Srjámyaham”)
"The deviation of any object from its normal state is called gláni. The normal state of dharma means movement in accordance with dharma, not movement towards nature. When mental sin reaches the punishable stage, the gláni of dharma sets in." (DKG, “Tadátmánaḿ Srjámyaham”)
"Visa'de basudha' chilo eka' toma'r abha've..." - P.S. #4863
Purport:
O’ Parama Purusa Baba, prior to Your holy advent, in the absence of You (toma'r abha've) and Your guideline, this whole earth was drowned in materialism, dogma, and misery. Everything was on this globe, but Your divine guideline was missing. So whatever little effulgence was present turned black because of the dominance of the pitch dark Cimmerian night of materialism. The light was not even able to shine because of the extreme dominance of the staticity of selfishness & dogma. O' Parama Purusa, Your advent was highly needed.
In the past, in the sky of the human heart there was a moon, but it was covered with the clouds of dogma – i.e. improper thinking that was full of ignorance and based on materialism. In the forest, there were flowers but because everyone's mind was restless a tense they were unable to smell the flower fragrance. They could not perceive that beauty. In the past, the birds and peacocks were on the branches of the tree, but they were not chirping or singing. They were crying in agony, sitting in their lonely way. In the corner of my mind there was loneliness and longing for You. Without spirituality, there was no peace. Even Lord Shiva’s teachings were distorted and changed into dogma. The crimson dawn was covered by the smog.
O' Parama Purusa, by smashing the Cimmerian darkness Your made Your advent. Baba, You have vibrated everyone’s existence with Your divine flow. It is Your grace, Baba, only Your grace...
